Rapid coil deployment apparatus

ABSTRACT

Rapid coil deployment apparatus including a case that includes a first compartment in which are disposed a plurality of rapid coil assemblies and a second compartment in which are disposed a plurality of detonator canisters, each of the detonator canisters including an antistatic lining with a detonator housed therein, wherein each of the rapid coil assemblies includes an actuator including an at least partially hollow housing, a cap element removably mountable on the actuator, and a coil of electrical wire disposed inside the housing, a first portion of the coil being arranged for electrical connection with an electrical connector separate from the actuator and a second portion of the coil being arranged for electrical connection with the cap element, the coil being unwindable outwards from the at least partially hollow housing, and wherein each of the rapid coil assemblies is maintained operationally ready in the first compartment for rapid laying and is electrically connected to at least one of the detonators while still in the first compartment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to rapid coil deployment apparatus, e.g., apparatus that enables quick and safe unwinding of a wound coil of wire or the like that is pre-connected to detonators, such as to detonate explosive charges from a remote location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Detonators for detonating an explosive charge are used in many applications, such as but not limited to, police or military units that dismantle bombs or blow up buildings and other objects, or various pyrotechnical applications (e.g., construction crews that are required to blast areas to make way for constructing buildings and roads, or mountain patrols for controlled creation of snow avalanches). Some detonators are actuated electrically by an actuator, which may receive signals from a control device, and which generates an electrical signal to operate the detonator. For safety reasons, it is important that the person actuating the detonator be far from the explosive charge as possible. Accordingly, some detonator systems include a long length of coiled electrical wire, one end of which may be connected to the actuator and the other end of which may be connected to the detonator or explosive charge.

However, the electrical connections required to connect the actuator-wire-detonator system generally take a long time. This may be of little importance in construction work, but it is critical in military or police applications to work as fast as possible. An actuator-wire-detonator system that is safe, reliable and quick to operate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,627 to Sansolo, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In that actuator-wire-detonator system, the wire may be coiled in an at least partially hollow actuator housing, and it unwinds rapidly without snagging. The actuator may be electrically connected to a control device with one quick motion, such as with quick-connect male and female electrical connectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide rapid coil deployment apparatus, which improves upon the actuator apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,627 by providing a mission-ready system with a plurality of rapid coil assemblies and detonators, as is explained more in detail hereinbelow. The rapid coil deployment apparatus may include a dedicated case for rapid coil assemblies, which maintains the coil assemblies operationally ready for rapid laying and connected to detonators in advance.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention rapid coil deployment apparatus including a case that includes a first compartment in which are disposed a plurality of rapid coil assemblies and a second compartment in which are disposed a plurality of detonator canisters, each of the detonator canisters including an antistatic lining with a detonator housed therein, wherein each of the rapid coil assemblies includes an actuator including an at least partially hollow housing, a cap element removably mountable on the actuator, and a coil of electrical wire disposed inside the housing, a first portion of the coil being arranged for electrical connection with an electrical connector separate from the actuator and a second portion of the coil being arranged for electrical connection with the cap element, the coil being unwindable outwards from the at least partially hollow housing, and wherein each of the rapid coil assemblies is maintained operationally ready in the first compartment for rapid laying and is electrically connected to at least one of the detonators while still in the first compartment.

The rapid coil deployment apparatus can include one or more of the following features. For example, the case may be formed with a first aperture aligned with the first compartment through which passes the first portion of the coil of electrical wire of one of the rapid coil assemblies, the first portion being arranged for pulling out through the first aperture while that rapid coil assembly is still in the first compartment. Similarly, the case may be formed with a second aperture aligned with the first compartment through which passes the second portion of the coil of electrical wire of one of the rapid coil assemblies, the second portion being arranged for pulling out through the second aperture while that rapid coil assembly is still in the first compartment. The first and/or second apertures may be formed with a rounded lip, wherein the coil glides over the rounded lip as the coil is pulled out.

The central portion of the case may include a plurality of the first compartments and a plurality of the second compartments may be positioned outwards of the central portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of rapid coil deployment apparatus, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a rapid coil assembly used in the rapid coil deployment apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a detonator canister used in the rapid coil deployment apparatus of FIG. 1 with its top cap exposed;

FIG. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of the bottom of the rapid coil deployment apparatus of FIG. 1 with apertures exposed for paying out coils for electrical connection (e.g., to a power source); and

FIG. 5 is a simplified detailed illustration of a rounded lip used in the apertures of the case of the rapid coil deployment apparatus of FIG. 1 so that coils may be pulled out smoothly without snags, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates rapid coil deployment apparatus 10, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The rapid coil deployment apparatus 10 may include a case 12 that includes one or more first compartments 14 in which are disposed a plurality of rapid coil assemblies 16. The rapid coil assemblies 16 may be constructed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,627. Briefly, as seen in FIG. 2, the rapid coil assembly 16 may include an actuator 18 including an at least partially hollow housing 20. A cap element 22 may be removably mountable on the actuator 18. A coil 24 of electrical wire may be disposed inside housing 20. A first portion 26 of the coil 24 may be arranged for electrical connection with detonators. A second portion 30 of the coil 24 may be arranged for electrical connection with an electrical connector or power source 28. The coil 24 may be unwound outwards from housing 20.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3. One or more second compartments 32 may be provided in which are disposed a plurality of detonator canisters 34. The detonator canister 34 may include an antistatic lining 36 (e.g., made of antistatic foam) with a detonator 38 housed therein, as seen in FIG. 3.

Each of the rapid coil assemblies 16 may be maintained operationally ready in the first compartment(s) 14 for rapid laying and may be electrically connected to one or more detonators 38 while still in the first compartment(s) 14.

The case 12 may be formed with a first aperture 40 (FIG. 1) aligned with the first compartment 14 through which the first portion 26 of the coil 24 may pass through. The first portion 26 is arranged for pulling out through the first aperture 40 while the rapid coil assembly 16 remains in the first compartment 14. Similarly, the case 12 may be formed with a second aperture 42 (FIG. 4) aligned with the first compartment 14 through which passes the second portion 30 of the coil 24, wherein again the second portion 30 is arranged for pulling out through the second aperture 42 while that rapid coil assembly 16 remains in the first compartment 14. As seen in FIG. 5, the first and/or second apertures 40 and 42 may be formed with a rounded lip 44, wherein the coil 24 glides over the rounded lip 44 as the coil 24 is pulled out, thereby preventing snags and assuring smooth and quick operation.

The central portion of the case 12 may include a plurality of the first compartments 14 and a plurality of the second compartments 32 may be positioned outwards of the central portion. For example, there may be two first compartments 14 flanked by two second compartments 32. There may be a plurality of first compartments 14 arranged in a circular or other array with second compartments 32 at a periphery thereof. Many other arrangements are possible within the scope of the invention.

As a general description, in the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, the case 12 includes two coil assemblies 16 for rapid carrying on the human body with two detonator canisters 34 with antistatic lining 36. The case 12 may be designed for pulling the coil wires out through the case for laying and power source connection. As mentioned previously, the case 12 may be designed for prior connection to detonators in the two canisters on either side of the case in an operationally protected manner, and for laying and detonation without wasting precious time. Optionally, one of the coils may be deployed first, and only afterwards another coil may be connected and deployed.

The coils can be placed in their cases capped or uncapped. (Uncapped is suitable for paying the ends out through the apertures in the case for laying and for connecting the short ends to a power source through the lower holes. The short ends are protected by the lower shell, which covers the lower hole area.)

In the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, there are detonator canisters on either side of the case for accommodating the detonators to be laid with the detonating cables. The detonators can be connected in advance to the detonation cable. Two detonators can also be stored in one canister for concurrent connection. The canister may be made of an acetyl polymer (e.g., DELRIN) with antistatic foam lining, and has a hole 46 for paying the detonator wires 24 and a string-removable cap 48 (FIG. 3). Clasps may be provided on the case for taking up surplus detonator cable.

In operation of the apparatus, the coils may be capped for carrying purposes, while being disconnected from the detonators. In preparation for paying out the lower (shorter) ends of the coils for connection to a power source, the lower caps may be removed, with the upper caps still in place and the detonators still disconnected. The detonators may then be connected to the rapid coil assemblies 16 and the apparatus is ready for deployment in the field.

The detonator cap may be removable and disposable. This cap runs with the detonators and laying wire, meaning that it is not necessary to take the detonator out through the hole in the cap.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art. 

1. Rapid coil deployment apparatus comprising: a case that comprises a first compartment in which are disposed a plurality of rapid coil assemblies and a second compartment in which are disposed a plurality of detonator canisters, each of said detonator canisters comprising an antistatic lining with a detonator housed therein, wherein each of said rapid coil assemblies comprises an actuator comprising an at least partially hollow housing, a cap element removably mountable on said actuator, and a coil of electrical wire disposed inside said housing, a first portion of said coil being arranged for electrical connection with an electrical connector separate from said actuator and a second portion of said coil being arranged for electrical connection with said cap element, said coil being unwindable outwards from said at least partially hollow housing; and wherein each of said rapid coil assemblies is maintained operationally ready in said first compartment for rapid laying and is electrically connected to at least one of said detonators while still in said first compartment.
 2. The rapid coil deployment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said case is formed with a first aperture aligned with said first compartment through which passes the first portion of said coil of electrical wire of one of the rapid coil assemblies, said first portion being arranged for pulling out through said first aperture while that rapid coil assembly remains in said first compartment.
 3. The rapid coil deployment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said case is formed with a second aperture aligned with said first compartment through which passes the second portion of said coil of electrical wire of one of the rapid coil assemblies, said second portion being arranged for pulling out through said second aperture while that rapid coil assembly remains in said first compartment.
 4. The rapid coil deployment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first aperture is formed with a rounded lip, wherein said coil glides over said rounded lip as said coil is pulled out.
 5. The rapid coil deployment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second aperture is formed with a rounded lip, wherein said coil glides over said rounded lip as said coil is pulled out.
 6. The rapid coil deployment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a central portion of said case comprises a plurality of said first compartments and a plurality of said second compartments are positioned outwards of said central portion. 